James McAtee's stance of making unexpected Man City return revealed

McAtee wants to stay at Forest despite Man City's buy-back option; he prefers regular minutes over returning as a rotation player.

James McAtee has made clear his desire to remain at Nottingham Forest for the foreseeable future, despite Manchester City holding a buy-back clause in the £30 million deal that brought him to the City Ground in 2025. The 24-year-old has become a key player under Oliver Glasner this season after struggling for minutes initially, with Elliot Anderson's departure opening up regular starting opportunities in midfield.

McAtee has little interest in activating City's clause because he would likely return to a squad role at the Etihad, where he made 34 senior appearances between 2021 and 2025. He is focused on building on his strong form at Forest and pushing for a first senior England call-up. Forest have no plans to sell him either.

However, City could still exercise the buy-back option in future transfer windows to resell him for profit, particularly if financial pressures mount at the club. McAtee's continued performances at Forest are likely to attract interest from wealthier clubs.